Monotone
by Colaco
Summary: "..But you'll soon come to realize that's one huge lie. You're being kept from the real truth..". I wasn't even listening to him. Without saying a word, I left the shelter of his umbrella and stepped inside the waiting taxi, my Spinda trailing behind me.


**Author's Note: Hey guys! This is my first Pokémon fanfic, so CC would be greatly appreciated! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy! **

The ocean's harsh winds whip up the year's final leaves; they dance about the gloomy city. A plastic bag tumbles across an empty street, followed by other miscellaneous trash. A few early Christmas advertisements disappear into a sketchy alley. The darkening clouds above dart across the sky faster than the vehicles below. The smell of noxious car fumes mixed with fresh graffiti fill the frigid air. The entire city is cast in a gloomy shade of gray; typical for a November evening. A Murkrow circles over the few pedestrians that mill about the city; its black feathers blending in with the clouds. It stalks a specific pedestrian, a teenage girl, and her Pokemon as they continue down the lonely sidewalk. Its target: the girl's gleaming silver earrings. Stealthily, the mischievous bird swoops down from the sky. Before she can even react, the girl's right earring is ripped from her earlobe. A speck of crimson splashes onto the sidewalk; the only color in the sea of gray. The Murkrow flaps away, although its laughter drowned out by the howling gusts. Clutching her bleeding ear, she scurries underground. The sounds of the dying city above are replaced by the echoes of her sneakers on the concrete steps. Once safe on the subway platform, she pulls a tissue from her dull shoulder bag and quietly attends to her injury. She tosses the damp ball into the nearest trashcan and wanders down the cold, empty platform. "6:20 OLIVINE – OCEAN AVE." flashes on a small sign above her head. Her sleek cellphone flips open in her hand. She curses audibly as she notices the time. 6:21. An icy gust of wind finds its way underground. It nips at her exposed neck. She realizes she forgot her scarf at the Pokemon Center. The girl leans against the graffiti-ridden wall, waiting for the next train to arrive. She closes her eyes as she grips her Pokémon's hand…

Sunlight finds its way through the unrelenting wall of clouds that hangs above the city. Residents gradually emerge from their various buildings as the day begins. Commuters shuffle groggily across the faded white crosswalks; the suffocating aroma of their stale coffee replacing the previous night's smells. Taxis driven by foreigners swerve dangerously close to the sidewalks. Overweight businessmen babble with their numerous partners as they trudge down the cracking sidewalks. The raspy shouts of the street vendors fight to compete with the mindless chatter of the city. The city has transformed within 12 hours. Everything is completely different, save the chill that still lingers from the night before. It is so cold, puffs of warm, wet vapor burst out of the people's mouths as if the minimart at the corner is having a sale on cigarettes. A Titanic-sized vessel is saying farewell to Olivine's pristine harbor. The entire population of the ship, the S.S Capital, is standing along its railings, waving to the hundreds of people that line the docks. Destined for Slateport, the gargantuan ship hesitates before beginning its long southward voyage. In just a few minutes, the S.S Capital disappears beneath the horizon; its gold body the only color in the sea of gray.

She finds herself staring out the window of a moving car. Her drug-induced haze makes it hard to think clearly. The blur of thousands of monotonous commuters whisk past as the car picks up speed. She's in a stranger's car; not once does a thought of panic or confusion cross her mind. She can't feel the duct tape on her wrists. She can't hear the two men planning her demise in the front of the car. She doesn't notice where her Pokemon is, even though it is laying across her lap in an identical condition. She can't feel the drops of blood as they splash onto her pale shoulder; the only color in the sea of gray. The confusion doesn't set in until her face slams into the driver's seat in front of her. The tiny Spinda flies of her lap. A wave of confusion followed closely by one of panic slams into her, just as the train slams into them.

My eyes shot open. Fear flows through my rapid blood; my breaths labored. I looked around the room, even though my vision was blurred from panic. My terror subsided when I realized I was in my bedroom, sitting upright. Lex was sitting at the end of my bed, staring at me curiously. My screams must have scared him, I guess. Lex stumbled across my unmade bed and sat next to me; his steps clumsy. I stared at him in the dim light of morning. The red spots that covered his entire body gave the room color; the only color in the sea of gray.

Something taps my shoulder. It was so light, I barely noticed it. A sudden pain shoots up my ear. A bead of red trickled down my right shirtsleeve. The only color in the sea of gray.


End file.
